Legislators are currently attempting to untangle proposals following December 2024 cuts to the 2025 budget. While the Legislature has increased efforts to find a path forward, the opposition party recently introduced more than 3,000 proposals for how and where to make cuts, including to key Cabinet ministries, which has received backlash across all levels.
The previously approved budget for 2025 had approximated NT$3.15 trillion (US$96.1 billion) in revenue with an annual expenditure of NT$3.13 trillion (US$95.5 billion), resulting in NT$20.9 billion (US$637.8 million) of surplus. Last Friday, the opposition parties together passed the second reading for a budget cut of almost NT$94 billion (US$2.9 billion) which is about 3% of the original budget. After the KMT and TPP integrated the remaining 727 proposals, the Legislature began voting on each one at a time. After only 57 cases had been processed, DPP Caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) made a temporary proposal to withdraw all DPP budget proposals.
Premier Cho Jong-tai (卓榮泰) held a press conference Monday morning with the heads of ministries and agencies most affected by the proposed cuts. He stated bluntly that a “budget storm” had hit Taiwan, and implored the opposition parties to pull back before it was too late. Cho condemned the cuts, especially those made to the Digital Affairs Ministry and National Communications Commission whose budgets were nearly erased, saying they are “the first step to destroy the country”.
KMT Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) claimed the proposals are to check whether the government is abusing or has surpluses in the budget. If the Cabinet communicates clearly with the Legislature on how the budget is necessary, they will make appropriate adjustments.
Monday’s Legislative meeting was scheduled to address budget allotment for individual cases. The final vote to pass the new 2025 budget is scheduled for Tuesday.